Pearl Jam and Red Hot Chili Peppers have paid tribute to Irish legend Sinead O’Connor, who recently passed away at the age of 56 after years of mental health battles. Pearl Jam’s Jeff Ament wrote:
“This a cappella version of Black Boys On Mopeds was one of best performances I ever witnessed”, Jeff Ament wrote on his Instagram. “Thanks for your bravery and sharing your incredible gifts. Rest easy Sinéad O’Connor”.
Meanwhile, Flea took to Twitter and wrote the following:
“for all us street kids, for all us wildlings, when sinead got huge, it felt like one of us made it. It was incredible. im not trying to compare myself or anyone else to sinead, she is one of a kind, but thats what it felt like to me. like she was one of us. she was like billie holiday to me. All her pain, all her beauty, those incredible songs. she deserves sainthood.”
for all us street kids, for all us wildlings, when sinead got huge, it felt like one of us made it. It was incredible. im not trying to compare myself or anyone else to sinead, she is one of a kind, but thats what it felt like to me. like she was one of us. she was like billie…
— Flea (@flea333) July 27, 2023
The Irish singer gained across the world in 1990 by her heartrending cover of Prince’s Nothing Compares 2 U. It comes a year after the mother-of-four’s son Shane, 17, took his life in January 2022 after escaping the hospital while on suicide watch.
At the time of her death, the musician, who changed her name to Shuhada’ Sadaqat in 2018 when she converted to Islam, was thought to be spending her time between Co Roscommon, Ireland, and London.
In her last Tweet, O’Connor posted a photo.
”Been living as undead night creature since. He was the love of my life, the lamp of my soul. We were one soul in two halves. He was the only person who ever loved me unconditionally. I am lost in the bardo without him.”
The mother-of-four also posted a series of Spotify links to relatively sad and heart breaking songs, including one she dedicated to ‘all mothers of Suicided children’.
